The Business of Comedy

I was recently asked to talk about the business side of comedy for a festival. It was a cool request but a little weird, since I don’t have a manager or an agent. While I used to manage and book artists on the music side, I really don’t have any comedy business knowledge, other than what I have acquired from my years of doing comedy, being a professional before comedy and having lived a longer life before starting comedy. I guess I am a wise elder now. I think its just being a good human.

I assists venues who I developed relationships from my lawyer and music days. Client who know me as their lawyer have hired me to do comedy and book shows and music venues expanding to comedy have reached out to me for comedy. There is a reason for that.

I am professional, sincere and kind. I try to maintain that with everything I do, except for my unfortunate issue with tardiness. I treat everyone with respect at venues, from the bookers, the staff and comedians. I respond timely to requests and try to accommodate everyone whether it’s other comedians or a club. I look out for the underdogs, hushing loud comedians whispering loudly in the back of the room and always asking patrons to give it up for the servers and bartenders. I defend comedians who are being badmouthed and try to avoid speaking poorly of others, unless I am just gossiping with my close friends.

But all actions and inactions have consequences. From time to time, I feel that I have been slighted. And I know it’s better to bite my tongue and let it go, which I often do both in my personal and professional lives. But my unhealthy need for justice and vindication gets the best of me sometimes and I respond. For example, a club was upset with me once due to a performance mixup with a competing local comedy club. I wrote an email and showed it to other colleagues who told me not to send it. I haven’t (yet). It pains me that I have done well by this comedy club for years even helping a staff member with a legal matter (pro bono) but pettiness is going to hurt my career. 

On a personal side, I recently severed ties with a person close to me. As with everything, I try to be respectful, kind and professional, never disrespecting them. They chose not to take the same route, being petty by removing access from content I created and paid for and going out of their way to not pay respects when my father passed away, but paying respects to members of my family who they did not personally know. The silver lining is that it strengthened my will in knowing I did right by severing ties.

When I ran into this person recently, I was polite but not warm, avoiding eye contacting or anything other than one-word responses when questioned. When they asked why I was so cold, it took everything in my power not to respond with a list of grievances, but I didn’t do it. I just said that I wished them no ill will.

Perhaps that is what I bring to the table for the business side of comedy. Humanity.
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